Wind power continues to grow as a source of electricity because of its potential to provide abundant, pollution-free power. Demand for this alternative energy source is expected to increase because of concerns regarding reductions in fossil fuel supplies, the impact of traditional energy sources on the environment, and the increasing need for electric power throughout the world.
As the use of wind power increases, more questions have arisen regarding the placement of wind power plants. For all of the benefits of wind power, it is clear that wind power conventionally requires a large amount of real estate for placement of plants. As an alternative to land-based wind power generation, wind power plants have been placed offshore in ocean waters, thereby making use of offshore winds while not requiring any land for placement.
However, the establishment of offshore wind power generation introduces new factors. An offshore wind power plant requires a foundation that will withstand the combination of the lateral stresses that are inherent in wind generation together with the additional forces of waves and currents in an offshore environment. If wind power plants are established farther offshore, the deeper waters may result in an increase in intensity for these natural forces. In addition to creating greater forces in operation, the placement of wind power plants farther off-shore creates a more complex environment for plant construction, with much of the plant foundation being deep underwater.